SC directs Karnataka government to halt decision on Muslim quota, pending further hearing

New Delhi (India), April 25, 2023: In a recent development, the apex court of the country, the Supreme Court, has directed the government of Karnataka to put on hold its decision to withdraw the 4% quota available to Muslims in the Other Backward Castes (OBC) category and move it to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category till May 9.

The court has ordered this in response to a challenge to the decision of the Karnataka government.

During the hearing, the counsel representing the Karnataka government assured the court that no decisions related to appointments or admissions would be taken until the date of the next hearing, which is May 9. The decision of the Karnataka government to scrap the 4% Muslim quota available in the OBC category has been challenged in court.

The Basavaraj Bommai government of Karnataka had announced the removal of Muslims from the OBC category in the state’s reservation system and issued an order to this effect on March 27, just ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections. Instead, the government decided to place them under the EWS category, which has a 10% quota. Muslims were previously included in the 2B group of OBCs and were entitled to a 4% quota for education and employment.

The court’s directive has come as a relief to the Muslim community in Karnataka, who were apprehensive about the impact of the government’s decision on their prospects for education and employment. The matter will now be taken up for further hearing on May 9.